Department of Neurological Sciences

Research

Department research programs include clinical and basic investigations. A newly consolidated Clinical Neurotrials Unit is actively pursuing the development of experimental neurotherapeutics for a range of neurological disorders including: Peripheral Neuropathologies, Epilepsy, Migraine and other pain syndromes, Neuro-oncology, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, & Parkinson’s Disease, and Stroke.

Additional research in humans covers a range of areas: genetics and migraine, metabolic and nutritional aspects of neurodegenerative disorders, treatment strategies for neuroncology and preventative strategies in cerebrovascular disease.

The Neuroscience Cluster has developed three main themes: developmental and molecular neuroscience; system neuroscience and neuroplasticity; and translational neuroscience-focusing on neurodegenerative and vascular brain disease, including animal models of human neurological diseases and disorders.

Basic Science Research

Overall goals of the basic science faculty in the Department of Neurological Sciences are to gain an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of neurological disorders and to facilitate the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

• Basic Neuroscience Research

Clinical Research

The Department of Neurological Sciences is actively conducting clinical research in several diseases. Faculty members are involved in Epilepsy, Migraine/headache, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Pain, Parkinson's Disease, Polyneuropathy, and Cerebrovascular Disease.

Clinically applied research is also undertaken through the study in the mechanism of acupuncture in pain, use of stable isotope techniques to study metabolism and energy balance, and in establishing databases for several neurological diseases.

Clinical Trials

This research involves Phase I, Phase II or Phase III studies under the clinical research activities of the Experimental Therapeutics Unit. The NIH funded General Clinical Research Center serves as an excellent resource for the conduct of some of these clinical trials.